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During April we got behind the #CreateAustraliasFuture
campaign. With only 47% of arts and recreation services currently trading in Australia, the $111.7bn cultural and creative sector desperately needs support and an industry package. Many people in the industry work casual or freelance gigs, excluding them from current subsidy payments. We need to make sure there's #NoWorkerLeftBehind.
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Western Riverina Arts had its Annual General Meeting followed by a General Meeting which took place online due to COVID-19. It was agreed that online meetings are beneficial for the regional areas, allowing attendance by members that would otherwise not be possible.
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Some public areas were still open for exercise during Covid-19. We visited Grong Grong's community garden put together by many enthusiastic and creative volunteers from the historic town of Grong Grong. We encourage visitors to the park for its fun surprises.
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Our physical office is closed to the public for the duration of the Covid-19 National Jurisdictional Response, however we are still operating and you can reach us online - on all our social media platforms, via email comms@westrivarts.com.au or phone 0455 217 671. We care for our community's wellbeing, and if you work in the arts and need support or advice, please contact us.
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VERONICA COLLINS
Our May artist of the month is Griffith-born Wiradjuri artist Veronica Collins.
Returning from an artistic hiatus, recent events have not phased her or her rejuvenated creative practice. Veronica views the current COVID-19 epidemic as a welcome change of pace, “I love it. The world has slowed down. Everybody has time. Mother Earth is healing. Good! We should do it every 12 months, everyone should hibernate once a month, every year.”
Veronica’s love for art was initially developed in her youth through watching her “very arty, very crafty” mother. She reinforced her growing interest with the study of art history and says she is, “culturally aware of who I am, what I am. It’s just the history coming through and I’m blessed with a technique from the ancestors that’s been passed through.” Veronica having already explored various other forms of art, decided to seek out and learn from Wiradjuri art specifically: “Instead of looking at mainly the rocks, and the art that was already there from the other areas, I actually delved into Wiradjuri mythology, theology, and went back that way, and faced the traditional course backwards and found the art and the carvings so intricate, so different, and then knowing that a lot of the land was cleared in NSW, a lot of that was taken out... but a lot of that has been recorded.“
Veronica started her art career in the nineties using acrylic on canvas. Throughout her career, she has moved on to explore and incorporate other mediums, as can be seen in her collaborative works with Di Tarr featuring mosaics, at Griffith Regional Art Gallery’s recent ‘Each For Equal’ Exhibition: “What I do is I actually put Mother Earth onto my canvas by using natural fibres. I do use one of my main mediums of sand, and that comes in all different colours, which is amazing in Australia. Go and collect it, I’ve got five different shades at home already! It’s just madness. Mix your own ochres up if you want.”
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‘We Have Got To Get It Together Now #2’ ‘We Have Got To Get It Together Now #3’ Veronica Collins and Di Tarr
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Regarding contemporary material used, she says: “I only use three colours. Prime colours, blue, yellow and red. Because black and white aren’t colours, and I can’t split hairs, and they make everything else. They tell you to buy all different paint colours, well no – make your own. That’s what I tell young people, make your own colours, don’t go buying, it’s just a waste of money, because an artist can’t go and buy their own art.” Reflecting on her personal connection to friends and family of differing backgrounds, Veronica makes the comparison between her chosen colour palette and her views on humanity: “You can’t split hairs, can’t pick one over the other. Just keep it right, simple and true. There’s soul people out there, you don’t know what colour they’re going to come in, or who they are. I don’t see black and white as a colour.”
Veronica uses this mix of mediums and techniques to create her ‘Traditional Contemporary Fine Art’ pieces, exploring various themes, from Traditional story-telling to politics: “’Time’ has buildings which represent the government and everything that’s in Mission management. ‘Time’ is a political art. Whereas my water holes, that’s one of five designs that I do. I do water holes, I do Country, I do Wiradjuri, I do dusty dawn and I do portals. I do my story telling and then I do my animals. I’ve got my ‘Missionary’s Cauldron’ which is probably from 15 years ago. ‘Missionary’s Cauldron’ is a triptych. When the missionaries came, we had to go to church. The middle one is the cauldron where they’ve taken everything away from us. Stripping us of everything, and then we’ve got nothing. Our culture’s gone; we’re not allowed to talk our Language. I do religious ones because I’m interested in the Blake Awards. I really want to do the Blake Awards one year. ”
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This is an excerpt. Please read the full article on our website.
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Story by Camille Whitehead, Wednesday 6th May 2020.
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The Round Room - Interactive Installation By Kerri Weymouth
Kerri Weymouth took us for an in depth guided tour of her interactive installation 'The Round Room' which was exhibited at the Griffith Regional Art Gallery's Each For Equal Exhibition for International Women's Day.
"It is a basic human instinct to want to be accepted, it should not be judged on how a person looks, whether we have hair or not, big bums, thin lips, overweight or too skinny. If we could learn to accept ourselves and others for who we are, to be thankful for what we have and for the goodness of our souls, it would be a kinder and happier world." View the video here, to hear more from Kerri about her work.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more content which we will be adding over the coming months - or take a look back at the many artistic projects that have taken place in the Western Riverina.
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The Naomi Williams Wiradjuri Poetry Prize
The Naomi Williams Wiradjuri Poetry Prize is now open with three categories: Adult - Wiradjuri writers over 25, Youth - Wiradjuri writers under 25 and Open - All those living, working and learning on Wiradjuri country. Themes to address in your poems are the rivers of Wiradjuri country, family and love. Winners in each category will receive $250 and a $50 book voucher.
Email your submissions along with your name, date of birth, category and the title of your poem to curringa@ozemail.com.au
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Support Local Artists This Mother's Day!
The Riverina is full of talented creators. Karlys Kustom Art's inky pots, handmade keepsakes by Kristy-lee Jewellery , Arty Blooms by Anne Morshead 0438 636 568, or a drawing by Linzie Ellis would make fabulous gifts. Why not commission a personalised card, small artwork, a poem or song for mum? Browse creativeriverina.com to find an artist or creative in any genre. If you are not yet listed, make sure you create a free listing today!
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WRA Micro-Grants
Inspired by the very successful Micro-Loans schemes for women around the world, Western Riverina Arts has been preparing for its Micro-Grant initiative, to be launched at the end of May. The initiative is able to provide grass-roots funding distributed widely in small amounts for equipment, materials or services that may not be affordable otherwise. WRA is behind making a Micro-Grant scheme work in the Western Riverina Area; Narrandera, Leeton, Murrumbidgee and Griffith. If you would like to make a donation to the Western Riverina Arts Micro-Grant initiative, details are: Western Riverina Arts Inc. Westpac. BSB: 032-757 Account No: 183749. Direct message us on social media or email us at comms@westrivarts.com.au and a receipt will be issued. You can either be named or anonymous, but most of all, you will be thanked!!
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The Creative Koori Initiative
The Creative Koori Digital Initiative supports the creation, development and presentation of creative practice and programming online and through virtual means. It can help with activities such as purchasing computer hardware/software, developing podcasts or videos, or online workshops or tutorials. It is only open to NSW Aboriginal arts and cultural organisations.
NSW Aboriginal arts and cultural organisations can apply for between $500 and $10,000 for projects resulting in digital programming outcomes and digital and online skills development.
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COVID-19 Support
Create NSW has announced COVID-19 support for the NSW small-medium arts and screen sector. Key elements of the COVID-19 measures announced include:
• Over $1 million for accommodation assistance
• $450,000 for new COVID-19 Support Round
• $700,000 for new Screen Slate Development Fund
• $350,000 funding increase to Small Project Grants
• $180,000 for new rounds of Creative Leadership
• Further screen industry support – Over $1.5 million
• Webinars, factsheets and how-to videos
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Erin Thomas Playwright Fund
Are you an emerging regional or remote playwright?
This year The Erin Thomas Playwright Fund will support up to six emerging playwrights from regional or remote areas to work with a dramaturg or director on a new work via digital platforms, for a total period of eight hours. Both the playwright and the collaborating artist will be paid.
Submissions are due 31 May.
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The 2020 Napier Waller Art Prize
The 2020 Napier Waller Art Prize is open to current and former service personnel in the Australian Defence Force. The Memorial invites entries in all visual art mediums, including (but not limited to) painting, photography, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, digital, decorative, and installation. The winner will receive:
• $10,000 cash prize
• A two-week research residency in the Art Section of the Memorial
• A mentoring day with a leading Australian artist
• The winning artwork will enter the National Collection
More info here.
'Green on blue: the betrayal of trust' by Rob Douma, 2018 Napier Waller Art Prize winner.
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We're here to promote you!
In place of live events, we will be giving a shout out to artists working online. Do you have an e-Commerce store, YouTube, Patreon, Etsy, Society6 or Redbubble page? Are you currently taking commissions? Let us know about any of your upcoming online activities like webinars, livestreams, online classes or art competitions. Get in touch via social media inbox, or email comms@westrivarts.com.au
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UP CLOSE Community Photographic Portrait Exhibition
UP CLOSE Community Photographic Portrait Exhibition is Griffith Regional Art Gallery’s first online community exhibition! In the spirit of sticking together whilst staying apart - this exhibition will be hosted online and anyone living or working within the Griffith, Leeton, Murrumbidgee, Hay, Carathool or Narranderra LGAs will be able to participate! This exhibition allows local people to create, showcase and view photographic art in our community whilst still practicing social distancing. Explore some photographic elements and make some seriously creative images or some just-for-fun portraits of your lockdown buddies!
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Booranga Poetry Night
Booranga’s Zoom Poetry will take place online at 8pm, Thursday 14th May. The event will feature four local regional poets – Jo Cochrane, Lachlan Brown, our former RADO Derek Motion and Leeton's own Sarah Tiffen – reading selections of their work plus an open-mic section at the end.
Guests will be able to access the event online for free at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83122696307
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Art e-Parties - Online Regional Art Festival
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Narrandera Shire Council Weekly Photo Comp
Grab your phone or camera and capture the stunning flora and fauna that you see either at home or while out exercising with your family. To enter, post your picture on your Instagram or Facebook accounts and you must tag @narranderashirecouncil.
The weekly winning photograph will receive a $50 shop local voucher and will feature on Council's Facebook and website. Winners are announced every Monday. Pictured above is the Week 2 winning submission from Eve Webb.
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Adult Creative Writing Workshops
Sarah Tiffen is a poet and writer, born and bred in Leeton, she is currently developing a writer's residency project at the Historic Hydro, and running writing workshops via email. If you would like to be part of the workshop process, please email sarah.tiffen93@gmail.com
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Online Weekly Art Challenge
The Leeton Art Society Inc are running weekly online art challenges. Post and share your works to the page - a great way to keep creative while at home for all skill levels. Each week sees over 50 works created! Head to the Facebook group to join in the fun. Works clockwise from top right: Jan Thompson, Anne Morshead, Vita Vitelli and Helen Cottle.
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Virtual Bunting Together Project
Virtual Bunting TOGETHER Facebook group aims to have participants use fabric scraps and various stitching techniques to make bunting flags which will be put together to create lengths of bunting late in 2020. The themes are white on white, rock n roll, colours of nature (eco dye, rust etc), and Irish-folk. Join the group and get the whole family involved! You can read more about the project here.
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Global Open Call For Art!
Amplifier are seeking submissions of two kinds of work: the first is public health and safety messages that can help flatten the curve through education. The second is symbols that help promote mental health, well-being, and social change work during these stressful times. They will be will awarding $1,000 apiece to 60 artists. These artworks will be distributed widely, both online and in the physical locations where they are needed most. All art selected by their jury will also be made available as free downloads for anyone to print and share. Find out more information and vote on artworks here.
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